Vermonters in the Civil War

Vermont soldiers in the Civil War wrote an enormous quantity of letters and diaries, of which many thousands have survived in libraries, historical societies, and in private hands. This collection represents a selection of letters and diaries from the University of Vermont and the Vermont Historical Society. The collection includes materials dating from 1861-1865. Materials were selected for digitization to provide a variety of perspectives on events and issues. The voices represented in the collection include private soldiers and officers, as well as a few civilians. All of the extant Civil War-era letters or diaries of each of the selected individuals (at least, all that are to be found in the participating institutions’ collections) are included; each adds a certain experience and point of view to the whole. Officers in the photo above are (from left to right): Lieutenant Colonel Charles B. Stoughton, Colonel Edwin H. Stoughton, Major Harry N. Worthen. All are from the Fourth Vermont Infantry Regiment.

List

Gallery

Information

Showing 41 - 50 of 1339 Records

Miniature of Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney

Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney

Image

Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
Date Created: 1863-12-24
Description: Topics include receiving a photograph of his children, reading in a St Albans newspaper that his brother, Colonel Elisha Barney, is making recruiting speeches and feeling that he would not be as eloquent as his brother. He also mentions that Colonel Ripley has left camp with 75 men to recapture a load of salt that was blown ashore.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Hiram H. Barton to Melissa Barton

Hiram H. Barton to Melissa Barton

Image

Creator: Barton, Hiram H., 1836-1903.
Date Created: 1863-02-22
Description: Topics include the news that he is in the hospital at New Bern, North Carolina, but he is getting better. He also discusses the lateness of the pay and his attempts to stay out of debt, a description of the city, war profiteers, and his opinion of the celebration of Washington‚Äôs birthday and how that general might view the war.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Barton Family Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Hiram H. Barton to Melissa Barton

Hiram H. Barton to Melissa Barton

Image

Creator: Barton, Hiram H., 1836-1903.
Date Created: 1864-07-08
Description: Hiram Barton writes of an attack on the Union works by a Confederate Brigade at the Seige of Petersburg on June 24th. He also writes of the danger of raising one‚Äôs head above the breast works during the day, and of the soldiers killed. As well he writes of the heat and how exhausted the men are after spending two or three days in the trenchs.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Barton Family Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney

Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney

Image

Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
Date Created: 1863-10-23
Description: Brief letter notifying his wife, Maria, that the Regiment is moving to New Bern, North Carolina, and his brother, Lester, will be returning to Vermont, perhaps traveling as a nurse with the Vermont soldiers from the hospital at Fort Monroe.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney

Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney

Image

Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
Date Created: 1863-04-19
Description: Writes of moving camp again to along the Nansemond River (tributary of the James River), lack of sleep due to being on picket duty, coming under fire by enemy sharpshooters. He continues the letter by describing coming into the new camp after picket duty and being roused from sleep to prepare for another march because the enemy has crossed the river.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney

Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney

Image

Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
Date Created: 1864-01-10
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney

Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney

Image

Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
Date Created: 1864-01-31
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Image

Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915.
Date Created: 1864-11-21
Description: Henry writes that he got wet and cold during a review of the Sixth Corps and so the beginning of the letter is rather curt. He continues the letter after having had supper, warmed up, and begun reading a good book, Alone by Mary Virginia Terhune. He feels that one of the characters talks like him and another like his wife, and will send it on to Mary Jane after he finished it. He also writes that while he is now in command of the Brigade, he hopes Colonel William S. Truax will be reinstated.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Image

Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915.
Date Created: 1864-12-04
Description: On board steamboat, Matilda, writes that he has had to move with the Sixth Corps but does not know destination, did not get his papers in quickly enough and the Sixth Corps surgeon wanted to examine his personally, but he hopes to have his discharge soon.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Image

Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915.
Date Created: 1864-12-07
Description: Still has no news about his discharge. The regiment has moved again, but though they are fixing up winter quarters, they are unsure of whether they will be allowed to stay. Henry has had a number of visitors of Waterbury men, including his brother, J. Edwin Henry.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War